3rd 9 Weeks 5th Grade Skills Assessment

Last night, I had trouble falling asleep. After rolling around in the bed for over an hour, I finally gave up and went to the kitchen. A glass of warm milk should do the trick. I almost jumped when I saw the refrigerator in the darkness. The light from the street poured through the window. It cast a scary shadow on the refrigerator. A movement in the darkness caught my eye. Was there someone in the kitchen with me?

Which of these sentences from the passage helps the reader identify which point of view it is being told from?

• A. "The light from the street poured through the window."

• B. "A glass of warm milk should do the trick."

• C. "It cast a scary shadow on the refrigerator."

• D. "A movement in the darkness caught my eye."

Player: Listen, ref. That ball was clearly out of bounds. This point should not count. Referee: You have been complaining about almost every point played in the match! Player: Well, my opponent is cheating. Referee: Tennis is a gentleman's sport, sir. You cannot run to the referee after every point.

Player: I understand that. It's just that my opponent is no gentleman.

Referee: What do you want me to do, start your whole match over from the beginning?

Player: No, but I think we should play the last point over.

Referee: I am afraid I cannot allow that.

The referee above has an unfavorable opinion of players who complain too much. How might this point of view affect the outcome of the referee's decision?

• A. He will start the match over.

• B. He will ignore the player.

• C. He will award the player a bonus point.

• D. He will choose not to allow a point redo.

There once was a man who had three sons. The man was very poor. He had nothing of value to give his sons when they left home. He told them that they could take anything from his house that they really liked. The man promised to help them find their way. He and his sons left on a journey. After a few days, they came to a clearing in the woods. It led to three paths. The father bid his sons farewell, as each one journeyed in a different direction.

From what point of view is this story told?

• A. It shifts from third person to first person.

• B. It shifts from first person to third person.

• C. first person

• D. third person

Sally has been very athletic her whole life. She played catch with her dad when she was little and ran around with her mom and brothers every weekend. She has always loved shooting hoops after school or practicing her golf swing. Sports come so easily to her; she is practically the star of every team at school. When she participates in gym class, she impresses her teacher. That's why she gets confused when she hears other students complain about gym class.

How would gym class seem from Sally's point of view?

• A. tiring

• B. embarrassing

• C. a waste of time

• D. fun

My head felt heavy, and I wanted to lay it down. My eyelids drooped, and I almost dropped my pencil. One of my friends dropped her notebook loudly, and we all turned to look. I didn't do my homework, so I was a little confused about the lesson and stopped paying attention years ago. I looked outside and wished I was in one of the cars speeding by instead of this prison. The room was so boring, and the teacher's voice droned on and on. I stared at the dull gray floor tile and blackboard filled with dust. How many more hours until lunch?

How does this student's point of view affect the description of the classroom?

• A. The student makes it sound like an interesting place to be.

• B. The student makes it sound worse than it is.

• C. The student makes it sound better than it is.

• D. The student's point of view does not affect the description.

Visiting the orchard was a yearly tradition. The trees stood in neat rows, stretching out across two acres. The tree branches were heavy with large red apples, and a ladder leaned against each tree trunk. Christopher and Mark could not wait to get out of the car and start picking apples. They gathered baskets and hurried into the orchard. Mark scrambled up the ladder into a tree and peered for a moment through the bright green leaves. He picked ripe apples with both hands and dropped them into the basket Christopher held as he balanced on the ladder. Once that tree had been harvested, the boys switched roles. Christopher climbed up into the next tree to pick the ripest, shiniest apples. When the boys had filled three baskets, they carried the apples to a small building at the edge of the orchard. A clerk there moved the apples into paper bags and sent the boys on their way. Christopher and Mark could not wait to sample all of the wonderful foods the apples would make.

Where does this story take place?

• A. at an apple orchard

• B. in a brick building

• C. in a dense forest

• D. at a peach orchard

Jessie Grows Up Jessie came home after school and tossed her shoes to one side of the polished floor. The living room was spick-and-span, and everything was neatly arranged. Jessie dumped her school bag on the couch and ran upstairs to her bedroom. As Jessie entered, the smell of unwashed clothes made her nose wrinkle. Her room was a complete mess, with toys and books lying about and a pile of dirty laundry on the bed. I should clean this mess before Mom sees it, Jessie thought. Just as Jessie slid the last book onto the shelf, her mom came in, looked around the room approvingly, and smiled. "We are going to your aunt's house now. Please get dressed and come downstairs in ten minutes," Mom said and walked out. Jessie dressed quickly and went downstairs. Looking around the living room, Jessie knew her room was now just as neat and tidy. She felt good about it. The car ride to her aunt's house was fun because Jessie and her brother Warren played games. As Dad drove, Mom hummed the tunes of her favorite songs. It was a pleasant drive in the car, which had just been vacuumed and had no clutter anywhere. When they arrived, Mom's sister came out to greet them. Her aunt's front yard looked beautiful with a neatly kept lawn and colorful flowers around the borders. Jessie made sure not to step on the grass but walk only on the stone pathway. "Seems like Jessie has finally grown up," her aunt said with a smile, as she watched Jessie's cautious movements.

How are the settings of Jessie's bedroom in the beginning of the story and the car different?

• A. Jessie's room belongs only to her, while the car is shared between her and Warren.

• B. Jessie’s room is new and well-furnished, while the car is old, rusty, and noisy.

• C. Jessie’s room is filled with unwashed clothes, while the car is brand new and empty.

• D. Jessie’s room is messy and smells bad, while the car is clean and tidy.

Jessie Grows Up Jessie came home after school and tossed her shoes to one side of the polished floor. The living room was spick-and-span, and everything was neatly arranged. Jessie dumped her school bag on the couch and ran upstairs to her bedroom. As Jessie entered, the smell of unwashed clothes made her nose wrinkle. Her room was a complete mess, with toys and books lying about and a pile of dirty laundry on the bed. I should clean this mess before Mom sees it, Jessie thought. Just as Jessie slid the last book onto the shelf, her mom came in, looked around the room approvingly, and smiled. "We are going to your aunt's house now. Please get dressed and come downstairs in ten minutes," Mom said and walked out. Jessie dressed quickly and went downstairs. Looking around the living room, Jessie knew her room was now just as neat and tidy. She felt good about it. The car ride to her aunt's house was fun because Jessie and her brother Warren played games. As Dad drove, Mom hummed the tunes of her favorite songs. It was a pleasant drive in the car, which had just been vacuumed and had no clutter anywhere. When they arrived, Mom's sister came out to greet them. Her aunt's front yard looked beautiful with a neatly kept lawn and colorful flowers around the borders. Jessie made sure not to step on the grass but walk only on the stone pathway. "Seems like Jessie has finally grown up," her aunt said with a smile, as she watched Jessie's cautious movements.

In the story, how is the setting of Jessie’s living room similar to her aunt's front yard?

• A. Both places are full of clutter.

• B. Both places are well kept and organized.

• C. Both places make Jessie feel comfortable.

• D. Both places make Jessie want to be cautious.

Dennis stood up from the beach and shook himself. His head throbbed and there was a sharp pain in his left leg. Sand covered his face and his arms, so he walked down to the choppy surf to wash himself. As he scrubbed himself, he mumbled, "Where am I? What happened?" Suddenly, memories flooded back to him. He was out fishing when a storm blew up. His boat capsized and he had bumped his head against the side of his boat. After that, everything was blank. He slowly stood up and decided to look for food and lodging in the dense jungle behind him. What had started out as an exciting fishing trip had turned into a disaster.

Which of the following things happened first in this story?

• A. Dennis's boat capsized.

• B. Dennis went fishing.

• C. Dennis stood up and looked for food in the jungle.

• D. A storm blew up.

What happens first in the strip below?

• A. The teacher wants to talk to Sally and Bobby.

• B. The teacher announces the good news.

• C. Sally and Bobby fight over their writing.

• D. The teacher says only one of them can read it.